Posts from September 2006

September 29, 2006

November 8-12, 2006
The 2006 Margaret Mead Film & Video Festival celebrates its 30th
anniversary this year and will take place at the American Museum of
Natural History from November 8-12. The longest running showcase for
international documentaries in the United States, it encompasses a broad
spectrum of work, from indigenous community media to experimental
non-fiction. The Festival is distinguished by its outstanding selection
of titles, which tackle diverse and challenging subjects, and by its
forums for discussion with filmmakers and speakers.

Chelsea has
hundreds of galleries, yet entire art worlds exist more or less outside
its orbit. Some are represented in this small show organized by Elena
Sorokina for the activist art Web site artwurl.org.
Most of what's in the gallery, by individual artists and collectives,
is graphics-oriented, information-intensive and, in the current "interventionist" way, obliquely polemical.

Elise Gardella has
collaborated with the Friends of William Blake on a cartographic guide
to military recruitment stations in the five boroughs of New York. Lize
Mogel and Dario Azzellini team up on a print proposing United States
intervention in Central America as a test case for the war in in Iraq.
Nadxieli Mannello addresses the issues of migrants and borders; Lasse
Lau, the demonization of the poor.

The show continues on
artwurl.org, with essays by Nato Thompson and the artist and historian
Gregory Sholette. Mr. Sholette has long been a catalytic presence in
contemporary political art, including art, like the work in this show,
designed to gather, document and distribute "alternative knowledge
about networks of power and control in urban spaces." Don't bother
telling Chelsea, but even a little alternative knowledge can be
dangerous. HOLLAND COTTER

You say that the "Bush administration uses
Republicans' fear of losing their majority to push through ghastly
ideas about antiterrorism that will make American troops less safe and
do lasting damage to our 217-year-old nation of laws." This is correct,
but incomplete.

This administration seeks to strike fear in the
hearts of all Americans so it can maintain total control. It uses the
issue of security to create insecurity, while Democrats remain silent.

In
1933, Franklin D. Roosevelt said that "the only thing we have to fear
is fear itself." The contrast is striking with today, when we seem to
fear everything and reward the political opportunists who thrive on it.

On Monday September 25th, an all-star reading of Love's Fire will benefit the future expansion of Opening Act, an innovative nonprofit that provides free after-school theater programming to New York City’s most underserved public high schools.

"Opening Act believes every student deserves a place to shine. They provide the stage. Theater is the medium through which their students gain confidence, pride and the knowledge that they can succeed at anything in life. Currently providing after-school theater programs at five public high schools, Opening Act's mission is to see that every New York City public school student has access to an artistic space where they can develop commitment, community, and leadership through their artistic achievement." Tickets range from $15-$100 and can be purchased at www.openingactnewyork.org.

Love's Fire is being produced by special arrangement with The Acting Company